Ophiopogon plant named ‘Yapard’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Ophiopogon,  ‘YAPARD’, characterized by its long and wide dark grey-green to dark grey-purple colored foliage, its abundance of flowers, and its vigorous growth habit with a high rate of adventitious root development.

Botanical classification: Ophiopogon planiscapus.

Varietal denomination: ‘YAPARD’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOphiopogon planiscapus (Nigrescens type) and will be referred tohereafter by its cultivar name, ‘YAPARD’. ‘YAPARD’ is a new cultivar ofmondo grass and is a grass-like perennial grown for use in border, andcontainers, and as groundcovers.

The new variety of Ophiopogon is the result of an ongoing breedingprogram by the Inventors in Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom thatcommenced in 1980. The goal of the breeding program is to produce newcultivars of Ophiopogon with increased vigor, larger leaves, longerflower spikes, and suitability as a groundcover.

The new variety of Ophiopogon, ‘YAPARD’, arose from a cross made in 2002between unnamed proprietary seedlings developed of the Inventors as boththe male and female parents. ‘YAPARD’ was selected as a single uniqueplant in summer of 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by invitro propagation under the direction of the Inventors in Stoneyford,Co. Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland in summer of 2005. The characteristicsof this cultivar have been determined both by division and in vitropropagation to be stable and to reproduce true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar as observed for a period of 4 yearsin Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘YAPARD’ from all other selections of Ophiopogon known tothe Inventors.

-   -   1. ‘YAPARD’ exhibits dark grey-green to grey-purple colored        foliage.    -   2. ‘YAPARD’ exhibits foliage that is wide and long.    -   3. ‘YAPARD’ exhibits an abundance of flowers.    -   4. ‘YAPARD’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit with a high rate of        adventitious root development.

‘YAPARD’ can be compared to its parent plants. The female parent differsfrom ‘YAPARD’ in being less floriferous and in having a slower growthrate. The male parent differs from ‘YAPARD’ in having shorter flowerstems, smaller flowers, and in having a slightly slower growth rate.‘YAPARD’ can be compared to the cultivar ‘Nigrescens’ (not patented),which has similar foliage coloration to ‘YAPARD’. ‘Nigrescens’ differsfrom ‘YAPARD’ in having narrower and shorter foliage, less flowers, aslower growth rate and slower adventitious root development. There areno other close comparison plants for ‘YAPARD’ known to the Inventors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Ophiopogon.

The photographs in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 were taken of 3 year-old plants asgrown in a 3-liter container garden in Penzance, Cornwall, UnitedKingdom.

The photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates the plant habit and appearance ofplants of ‘YAPARD’ in bloom in mid summer.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘YAPARD’.

The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Ophiopogon.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following botanical description describes 3 year-old plants of‘YAPARD’ as grown outdoors in 3-liter containers in Penzance, Cornwall,United Kingdom. The new Ophiopogon has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in temperature, day-length, light intensity, soil types, andwater and fertility levels without, however, any variance in genotype.The color determinations are in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. ColourChart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except wheregeneral color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming habit.—July to August in southern United Kingdom.        -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous, clump-forming and slowly spreading            into a groundcover.        -   Height and spread.—About 60 cm in height and 60 cm in spread            in 3 years (to end of foliage).        -   Cold hardiness.—At least to −18° C., has not been tested at            colder temperatures.        -   Diseases and Pests.—No unique aspects concerning            susceptibility or resistance to diseases or pests has been            observed.        -   Root description.—Deep penetrating roots and finer feeder            roots from crown, high rate of adventitious root            development.        -   Branching.—Stem-less, leaves arise from base.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Tissue culture preferred, division is also            possible.        -   Root development.—About 40 weeks from a plug to fully            develop in a 1-liter container.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous (up to 50% more vigorous than            ‘Nigrescens’).        -   Offshoot production.—Approximately 20 offshoots are produced            in one growing season from a single shoot, a four year old            plant typically has 4 times the increase in shoots in            comparison to Nigrescens'.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Linear.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Truncate to rootstock.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf aspect.—Leaves initially emerge upright, then arch and            curl when mature.        -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, not prominent or conspicuous, color            matches leaf color.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf attachment and arrangement.—Sessile, arise in tufts            from rootstock.        -   Leaf size.—7 to 8 mm in width (at midpoint) and up to 40 cm            in length.        -   Leaf number.—Average of 20 per rootstock (shoot) with            average of 25 shoots per 3-liter container.        -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous on upper and lower surface.        -   Leaf color.—Emerging foliage upper surface; 144C at base            becoming 146A in mid region and N186A tinged with 146A at            apex, emerging leaves lower surface; 150D at base becoming            143C in mid region and N186A at apex, mature foliage upper            and lower surface; N186A tinged with 146A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—An upright held raceme comprised of 2 to            3 campanulate shaped flowers arranged in whorls on the upper            portion of the scape.        -   Inflorescence size.—Reaches up to 7 cm in height and about 2            cm in width (excluding peduncle).        -   Flower fragrance.—Present.        -   Flower quantity.—Average of 35 per inflorescence,            persistent.        -   Flower lastingness.—An average of 12 days per flower, with            each raceme blooming for about 3 weeks.        -   Flower buds.—Ovoid in shape, average of 5 mm in diameter and            7 mm in length, 86D in color.        -   Flower aspect.—Held horizontally to about 45° angle from            scape.        -   Flower shape.—Campanulate.        -   Flower size.—About 10 mm in depth and 9 mm in diameter.        -   Tepals.—6 (2 rows of 3), ovate in shape, margin is entire,            apex is rounded, fused at base, upper and lower surface is            glabrous and smooth, thick and fleshy texture, color of            outer surface is 85A and 86D in center portion blending to            85C at margin, color of inner surface is NN155D, inner            tepals are about 6 mm in length and 3.5 mm in width, outer            tepals are about 5 mm in length and 2 mm in width.        -   Bracteole.—Linear in shape, attenuate apex, truncate base,            an average of 11 mm in length and 1 mm in width, 186A in            color, surface is glabrous.        -   Peduncles.—Flattened, narrowly winged (<1 mm in width) on            each side, solid, about 20 cm in length (from base of plant            to lowest flower) and 1 to 3 mm in width, held erect,            strong, color is N186B with shading of 146D and 150D at            base, surface is glabrous.        -   Pedicels.—An average of 2 mm in length and <1 mm in width,            186A in color, surface is glabrous.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil, stigma is pointed in shape, about 0.5            mm in length and width, and NN155D and sometimes flushed            with 85C in color, style is cylindrical and tapering at            apex, about 4 mm in length and 1 mm in width (at base) and            NN155D and sometimes flushed with 85C in color, ovary is            partly inferior, globose in shape, about 2.5 mm in diameter            and NN155D in color.        -   Androcoecium.—6 stamens, joined to base of tepals, anthers            are about 2 mm in length, 0.5 mm in width and 158A flushed            with 85C in color, filaments are about 0.5 mm in length and            155A in color, pollen is moderate in quantity and 158A in            color.        -   Fruit and seed.—Berry; present for about 3 weeks in fall,            globose in shape, 6 to 8 mm in diameter, N186B in color and            145A and 145B when shaded, seed; 1 per berry, round in            shape, an average of 5 mm in diameter, fleshy, N155B in            color.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ophiopogon plant named ‘YAPARD’ asherein illustrated and described.